Abbey Abramson

  Just transition and climate justice Just Transition & Climate Justice: Whose Costs, Whose Future? The concept of a “just transition” has emerged as one of the defining themes of the global climate agenda. At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the idea took center stage as governments, civil society, Indigenous peoples, labor unions, youth groups, and development agencies called for  rapid, fair climate action . While the conference did not produce a concrete commitment to phase out fossil fuels, it did elevate the importance of justice in the transition away from carbon-intensive development (Climate Action Network, 2025). This article explores the meaning of just transition, why it is essential for global climate success, how it is tied to climate justice, what COP30 achieved—and failed to achieve—and what it will take to ensure that the world’s shift to a green economy protects workers, communities, and nature rather than leaving them behind. What Is a Just Transition? The t...

  Climate change adaptation indicators Global Goal on Adaptation Indicators: From Pledge to Practice Climate change is no longer a distant future threat—it is already reshaping lives, ecosystems, and economies. This growing reality has raised the stakes not only for reducing emissions (mitigation) but also for preparing societies to absorb and adapt to inevitable changes. Under the Paris Agreement, Article 7 sets out the “Global Goal on Adaptation” (GGA): to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development (UNFCCC, n.d.). At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Parties reached a landmark moment by agreeing on a consolidated set of 59 voluntary, non-prescriptive indicators to track progress toward that goal (COP30, 2025; LSE, 2025). While this is an important milestone, the shift from pledge to practice will require serious work on definition, governance, measurement, financing, and equity. Thi...

  Tropical forest finance mechanism The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF): A New Finance Mechanism or Smoke & Mirrors? In the wake of COP30 held in Belém, Brazil, one of the most ambitious outcomes was the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) — a proposed global fund designed to reward countries for protecting tropical forests rather than exploiting them. The promise is bold: flip the economics of deforestation, channel large-scale investment, support Indigenous and local communities, and make standing forests into assets rather than liabilities. But beneath the ambition lies a series of critical questions: Will the fund work? Who benefits? And is this truly a paradigm shift or yet another high-level commitment with weak follow-through? This article unpacks how the TFFF works, why it matters, the opportunities it presents, the caveats and risks, and what it means for the future of forest-based climate finance. Why the TFFF matters Tropical forests are...

  Carbon markets and border adjustments Trade, Carbon Markets & Border Adjustments: Brazil’s Carbon-Pricing ‘Coalition’ Proposal at COP30 At the 2025 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, one of the key discussions was not only how to cut emissions but how to price them fairly, globally , especially in a world of rising trade interdependence. The host country proposed establishing an “Open Coalition for Compliance Carbon Markets” to harmonise standards across national and regional systems. It raised the contentious issue of a border carbon adjustment mechanism (BCAM) tied to trade. While these discussions may sound technical, they carry profound implications for justice, equity, climate integrity, and the future of global cooperation—which align intimately with your values of transparency, human-centred growth, and inclusive leadership. This article unpacks why carbon markets and border adjustments matter, what Brazil’s proposal at COP30 enta...